Reactions to the Ring
by Fairy Dust2
Summary: 5 people's thoughts on the promise ring that Sam gives to Quinn.


_Author Note: This is set in between Furt and Special Education. Just borrowing the characters for a bit. :)_

**Reactions to the Ring:**_  
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**Finn (& Rachel)**

What is that on her finger? Is that really what I think it is? It's not on her left hand, so it's for sure not an engagement ring. But it is new, and her and Sam have been extra cuddly since it showed up on her hand. He actually did it. Somehow, he got her to agree to be his girlfriend, and now there's nothing that can stop him from shooting right past me on the social ladder.

"Did you see the promise ring Sam gave Quinn?" I look down and find Rachel gazing at me with a troubled look on her face. "I guess it's getting pretty serious between the two of them…"

I doubt that Rachel is concerned about how this new development will affect her social status, so what is it that's bothering her so much about it? "I guess so…" I let the end of my sentence trail off with a questioning tone, hoping that she'll explain.

The troubled expression clears for a moment as she tries to force a smile, but it doesn't stay gone for long. "It's not that I'm not happy for them, but we are supposed to be the power couple in the glee club. The closer they get, the more likely Mr. Schuester will be to give them duets to play off the puppy love emotion emanating off of them. It's a brilliant strategy, but…" She didn't have to finish her sentence. I knew what she meant.

"Rachel," I start, needing clarification on another issue. "What exactly is a promise ring?" She looks up at me quickly, trying to measure my reasons for asking. I hurry to ease her concern. "I don't love Quinn anymore, not like that anyway. But I do care about her, and I'm worried she might be jumping into something too quickly." My conversation with Sam in the locker room earlier this week keeps bugging me. What if I pushed him into this? What if he's just doing this to solidify his social status?

Seems like I've calmed her worry, because she smiles and glances over at Sam and Quinn, who are sitting on the other side of the room, hand in hand. "It's really rather romantic actually. It's not an engagement ring, but it's a promise to be true to one another until that step is taken." She turns her smile back on me, and I'm once again amazed at her beauty and how lucky I am to have her. "Then again, there are couples like us where a ring isn't needed to show that promise. We will always be true to each other." Santana's smirk flashes in my mind as I wrap my arms around Rachel, but I try to ignore it.

"Um… Yeah, always."

**Puck**

What is that on her finger? And why is she hanging all over the new kid like that? Maybe I should start looking at him as a serious threat. I mean, this whole time, I've been treating that kid and his crush on Quinn like a scab – it's annoying and gross for a while, but if you wait long enough, it'll just fall off on its own. And I knew that if I made a big deal about it, Quinn would just bury herself deeper in his arms to spite me. It looks like he's better than I thought.

But why can't she see through him and his "perfect boyfriend" act? She always saw right through me. No, she just sitting there making googly eyes at Blondie, and there's nothing I can do about it. And now he's gone and gotten himself punched in the face, and she's looking at him like he's a hero. I would totally have gotten in on the action if I didn't have the threat of going back to juvie hanging over my head. But does she care about that? Does she care that I'm actually starting to act responsibly? No, she doesn't, does she. She's too busy twirling that stupid ring around her finger, smiling at him with that smile that I used to think she saved just for me.

I can be the hero, though. We lost Kurt, and now we need new voices. This club means a lot to her, and maybe if I can find someone to take his place, I can mean a lot to her again. Oh no, no, no. Dude, you do not kiss my Quinn and get away with it. Time to fight dirty.

**Sam**

What is that on her finger? That's my ring, that's what it is. I've always wanted to be popular. I wasn't that big of a hit at my old school; everyone just kind of looked over me. But here… Here, they actually like me, and I have the most beautiful and popular girl in the school wearing my ring. I'm getting everything I've ever wanted… but I'm starting to realize that even if I never get the QB position back, even if I get a slushie facial every day for the rest of my life, even if I am thrown to the bottom rung of the high school hierarchy, I have everything I could ever want or need in my arms right now. I could tell from the beginning that there was something special about Quinn, but it's just in the last few weeks that I've really begin picking up what that is. She's so different, so much stronger than all the other girls that I've ever met. She's had to go through so much, but she holds it all together, only letting it all show through in those few times she's called me in the middle of the night, when I can only understand the whispered name Beth through her sobs. It was the first time that I got one of those late-night calls that I first thought that maybe, just maybe, I might be in love with this girl. It absolutely broke my heart to hear her so broken up, and I swore to myself that I would do anything I had to keep her smiling. Sure, I still want to be popular, but now I know I don't want to be there without her there with me.

**Quinn**

What is this on my finger? A ring, sure, but it's more than that. It's a promise. I'm not really used to people keeping their promises. When I was with Finn, he promised that we would be together forever, but I could see the way that he looked at Rachel. I know it was my own lies that tore us apart, but it was becoming clear that forever just wasn't in the cards for us. And Puck… Well, there's just too much to go into there. But then there's Sam. When he looks at me, I can tell that he really does love me, that I'm the only girl he sees, the only one he wants to be with. And I start to think that maybe he's the only one I want to be with too. This year was supposed to be about finding myself, and for a little while I used that as justification to keep Sam at a distance. But what if finding myself includes finding a relationship that is actually built on respect and trust and honesty? I smile as Sam takes my right hand and traces the outline of the ring on my finger. The look of wonder and happiness on his face just about blows me away. He raises his gaze to meet my own, and his trademark grin spreads across his face. Yeah, I think this one just might work out.


End file.
